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Friday, April 18, 2008

Life with two kids is great. Hard, but great. Dimitry is already 3 months old today, and he is growing up so fast... it's amazing how fast they grow! The second time around, I am so much more relaxed. Luckily, Dimitry also had a very loving, sweet, and gentle big brother. Christos is great with him. Watching the two of them together makes me so happy, and complete.

Christos amazes me daily... with all he says, and all he knows. He is smart beyond his age, truly. He is such a great help - he loves to do housework, (don't know where he got that from!) he loves to help me fold clothes, vacuum, dust... he even takes everything off the tables before he dusts... it's too cute! Today he was reading Dimitry a book... "Look, Dimitry... a truck... the book... made from trees! A moon... a star... Dimitry, look!" So cute... Dimitry was just gazing at him with a huge smile on his face. Sigh... kids are the sweetest thing ever!

Now I must get back to putting away the grocceries, change a diaper, and figure out what to make for dinner before Christos wakes up from his nap!

I just have to add - I don't know how single moms do it. They deserve so much credit. Handling two kids with one adult - not easy! I think it is especially hard when you have a toddler (boy!) and a baby... both need your constant attention. I have not figured out how to take the two out of the house alone yet - I've always had my husband with me, or mom, mom-in-law, sister... we don't have a double stroller - maybe that's something I should look into getting - otherwise it is very difficult! Going to the park this morning, I had my mom pushing Christos in his wagon, and I had the baby in the stroller. I have a baby bjorn, but Dimitry likes it only for short periods of time. So if I was alone, how would we all go to the park with all our gear? Sure, Christos can walk, but he likes to be carried sometimes, so it's tough. Okay enough rambling! Time to get some work done... by the way... who isn't LOVING this gorgeous weather!? I had a pedi today, (brought sleeping baby with me while mom-in-law took care of Christos and his cousin) and it feels great to be waring sandals again!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

HBC will pull baby products if bisphenol A labelled 'dangerous'Sarah Schmidt, Canwest News ServicePublished: Tuesday, April 15, 2008One of Canada's largest retailers will pull all baby products containing bisphenol A from sale should the federal government slap the chemical with the "dangerous" label.

The Hudson's Bay Company has decided to pre-empt Health Canada with plans for an urgent national recall of plastic baby bottles, cups and toys containing the synthetic chemical compound from 280 Zellers and 94 Bay stores.

A "dangerous" designation or "toxic" label under the Canadian Environment Protection Act doesn't require Ottawa to ban or even restrict its use in consumer products, it simply kick-starts a lengthy review process that could lead to the status quo.

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Printer friendlyFont:****Sources say Health Canada will make an announcement on the matter Thursday.

HBC has decided to act on its own in the interest of consumer safety, director of communications Hillary Marshall said Tuesday.

"We're going to take the direction that by labelling it as dangerous, and in the spirit of the new consumer product safety legislation that the government has introduced, that we will act in the interest of customer safety and remove the product."

Health Minister Tony Clement would only say Tuesday the government will "let science dictate what our determinations must be."

Marshall said the company's anticipated move is unparalleled.

HBC conducted an internal audit earlier this year to determine what baby products containing bisphenol A were on store shelves. The retailer then secured BPA-free products to replace them in the event of a voluntary national recall.

"We've taken it really seriously. Preparing in the way we have is unprecedented for us. We took the additional step because it's baby products," Marshall said.

Already, HBC has over 55,000 glass baby bottles in stores across the country in preparation for the massive recall. The company has also purchased plastic baby products free of BPA, including polypropylene bottles, liners, nipples and drinking cups.

Canadian Tire issued a statement late Tuesday stating that it would also remove plastic water bottles and food storage containers known to contain the chemical from shelves at Canadian Tire, Mark's Work Wearhouse and PartSource stores.

The corporations says is stopping the sales of those goods in order "err on the side of caution" ahead of the Health Canada assessment and will sell stainless steel drinking containers along with glass and polypropylene food storage containers as alternatives.

Recent research has shown that bisphenol A is an estrogenic hormone disrupter that causes reproductive damage and may lead to prostate and breast cancer in adulthood.

A draft brief on bisphenol A of the National Institutes of Health's National Toxicology Program, released Tuesday, bolstered these concerns.

The brief concludes "there is some concern for neural and behavioural effects in fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures. The NTP also has some concern for bisphenol A exposure in these populations based on effects in the prostate gland, mammary gland, and an earlier age for puberty in females."

The brief cites scientific evidence from a number of laboratory animal studies involving low-level exposure to bisphenol A during development.

The plastics industry maintains BPA in baby products is not a risk to human health. And any dangerous designation by Health Canada during the current risk assessment process doesn't mean plastic bottles will be banned in the future, said Steven Hentges, executive director of Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group at the American Chemistry Council.

"It does not draw that conclusion at all. Many substances are labelled as dangerous, but that doesn't mean they're removed from market. It's not inconsistent with safe use of the material."

He added, "We are confident there will be the continued safe use of bisphenol A."

The council has recently hired Kim Doran, former deputy national director of the Liberal Party, to lobby MPs and senators, to push for BPA to stay on the market in Canada.

"We haven't been told to pull them or not, but the sales are dead," said Debbie Ranger, owner of Macklem's baby store in Toronto. Unlike HBC, she said she's going to wait for direction from Health Canada.

Friday, April 4, 2008

I just wanted to write a post about how terrific a lady my grandmother is. My grandmother is a hard worker. She devotes her life to her grandchildren and to her great-grandchildren. She always took fantastic care of me growing up, and she continue to do so today. She is over almost everyday, helping me around the house, cooking wonderful Greek food for me and my family, and loving and loving and loving my children. My boys LOVE her so much. We would be lost without her, really. She is going to Greece for almost 3 months and we are going to miss her so much! She's just wonderful. A saint, truly. Such a hard worker. And I am blessed to have her in our lives. I hope my boys grow up to remember they had one amazing, loving great-grandmother! There is nothing as important as the closeness of family. Last night was especially special, watching my 2 and a half year old make fresh bread with my grandmother. It was a moment I'll always cherish. Thanks yiayia!

Thursday, April 3, 2008

I got so excited when I saw this picture of Isla Fisher, who will be playing Rebecca Bloom in Confessions of a Shopaholic. I am SO. SO. SO. EXCITED. for this movie. Sigh.

I read Confessions a loooooooooooooooooooooong time ago... had to be over 6 years ago since I've been married for 5 years (this coming June) and I remember reading it in bed at my parents house. Finished the book in one night, which really wasn't hard since it was a light chick lit read, and not too long... I would read a few page, put it down, and sigh, thinking, WTF. This author went into my head and wrote all about me! We're talking - I'm a crazy shopper. Besides being a great mom, I am great at spending money and shopping. I'm proud to be a great mom - my children are my life - but I am not so proud to be such a great shopper, because damn, I spend a lot of money! And being on mat leave, when I have a few hours to myself and the baby is sleeping, I hit the stores and shop and shop. It never ends! Now, I shop for my boys. Way too much... I could run a daycare for the entire city of Ottawa in my house, that's how many toys I have. And now that I'm losing weight, buying clothes and shoes again is so nice. It's sad that Ottawa doesn't have very many good stores, but I make do, and look forward to future shopping trips south of the border. Anyway, this post is neither here nor there so I'll end it now... and go shopping!